On the air: McNamee no longer anchoring 6 p.m. news on WEEK

Ashley McNamee, who became Tom McIntyre’s partner at the anchor desk at WEEK-TV Channel 25 when Mike Dimmick left in 2011, is also doing reporting duty these days.

While still an anchor on WEEK’s 10 p.m. news report, McNamee has been replaced by Marshanna Hester on the station’s early-evening newscasts.

Ashley McNamee

25 general manager Mark DeSantis won’t comment on ongoing personnel decisions, only saying that “I can confirm that Ashley is currently assigned to anchor the 10 p.m. newscast on WEEK.”

But sources say that McNamee and the station couldn’t agree on a new contract with the result that 25 is bracing for the possible departure of one of their young stars.

McNamee, a graduate of Arizona State University, started as a reporter on WHOI-TV Channel 19 in January 2008. When WHOI merged with WEEK in March 2009. McNamee, along with others in the Channel 19 newsroom, found herself laid off.

But her time off was brief. Two months later, she joined the 25 staff.

Radio veteran laments state of radio

It still bothers Dan Dermody the way he was let go after being in radio for 48 years.

Dermody was fired from WIRL-AM 1290 back in 2009 when that station was playing a classic country format.

The end came suddenly for Dermody, now 70, who recalled having 15 minutes to clear out his desk after the axe fell.

Dermody is probably best remembered as the morning man for Peoria’s WXCL-FM 104.9 for 18 years.

“I still think I could do the job but at 70, who’s going to hire me?” he said recently over breakfast at Childer’s Restaurant in Peoria.

What does the radio veteran listen to these days? “I’ll either tune in one of the music channels on the cable or check out Pandora online where you can program your own station. I don’t listen to local radio anymore,” he said.

“They talk about the 70 million baby boomers in this country but no one seems to be programming for them. That’s the group with the expendable income,” said Dermody.

WTVP to preview ‘Sherlock’

The game is on as WTVP offers fans a free preview of the entire first episode of Sherlock season – five nights in advance of the television broadcast premiere. The preview event will be held at 7 p.m. Tuesday at WTVP-TV Channel 47 studios at 101 State St. in Peoria. The evening includes popcorn, door prizes and a post-screening fan feedback session led by Illinois Central College professor Craig Shurtleff.

Sherlock, which starts its third season, stars Benedict Cumberbatch as Sherlock Holmes and Martin Freeman as Dr. John Watson.

Public radio to review oil boom

North Dakota has the lowest unemployment of any state in the country. Oil and related industries in the state now employ some 60,000 people with an average salary well over $100,000.

The subject of the oil boom on the Great Plains is explored by National Public Radio in a series of reports to air on news programs running Jan. 22-26 on WCBU-FM 89.9 in Peoria.

Author: Steve Tarter

Born in England, raised in Boston, I'm a Midwestern transplant who's called Peoria home for the past 40 years. Married with four grown children, I enjoy journalism, film noir and radio drama. As the song goes, I like coffee; I like tea. Former president of the Apollo Theater in Downtown Peoria, I'm looking for a new raison d'etre.
View all posts by Steve Tarter

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Maybe news 25 management can grab AJ Clemente from unemployment as he seems to display as much talent as the other recent new hires. And maybe hire the co-anchor he was with who didn’t know how to react to his verbal misstep. Really, what has happened to this station. First the labor issues, control rooms in other cities, robotic cameras with minds of their own sometimes, missing videos all the time, lose Gina and Mike, a painful new “meteorologist” (Houli is rolling in his grave!!!), and now this with Ashley. She has been the perfect follow up to the long legacy of talented female anchors this station has had thru the years. I consider myself a faithful follower of this station most of my 50 plus years, was even watching the day Bill Houlihan announced Kennedy being shot. Many great news people thru the years. I know everyone in the news industry needs to start somewhere, but who watched these recent hires audition tapes????? If it was the current GM Desantis, then maybe he needs to get a handle on this situation and right the ship Captain Jinks and Salty Sam built. Take care of Ashley, give her the good contract she deserves, and spend a little more rehearsal time, not air time, with Gill, Wise, and Donovan If they are going to continue with filling in. if you can hire a competent reporter like Roseanne Aragon, then you maybe can help these others. If Ashley does leave let’s hope she does land at WGN or even better NBC network news so we can still enjoy her. News25 management, keep the consistency going with Mac and Mac!

She is the only reason to watch this channel, Ashley is a professional and makes watching the news worthwhile. Not only is she good at what she does she makes it interesting and fun. As far as I am concerned she is one of the best on TV anywhere

I have been missing Ashley and now i know why!!! What is wrong with you people, she was the only bright spot in your news reporting. Where are you getting these newbies. I cannot remember all there names, but that one little weather girl has been painful to watch. Desantis, do you watch your own station? You need to bring Ashley back and give her a bonus. Seriously, you are losing a good talent. Better wake up!!!

I agree. Bring Ashley back. You have people working for you that can’t even read a teleprompter! The latest weather girls ARE painful to watch. It has to be embarrassing for them and it should be embarrassing to Desantis. They don’t even know what they are talking about. I’m embarrassed for them.

With all the changes being made on WEEK, I am really tempted to watch another station for my news. I liked Ashley and think giving her the 10 PM slot is a slap in the face! I agree that the new weather girl needs HELP in a big way. This station is going downhill fast!! Ashley was very professional and could give some hints to Mac. He’s slipping on his performance!!

I enjoy watching Ashley on the 6:00 news. I believe that one day we will see her hosting on a major network morning show. I would love to see her host for The Today Show or Good Morning America. She is a very talented beautiful young lady. Good Luck to her!

Sorry about the mix-up. Just watched the news here in Tucson,Az. and it was Maggie and not Ashley. Boy what is wrong with Peoria and WEEK? They have lost two very good and pretty news women. I liked to watch them on TV give the news.

I don’t think u know what u r doing DeSantis, but maybe u r giving Ashley an opening to rise above all of u – Some one should just give a few pointers to
the weather Lady – remember we all started somewhere – Good Luck Ashley
and I don’t think u will have any problem if u want to go to big & better – Hugs

I am very upset with this decision. Ashley has been an amazing addition to the news team and she & Tom McIntire do an awesome job as a team. I am a longtime viewer of WEEK News 25 and i have for the most part always seen top notch reporting and very strong relationships on air. Tom & Ashley remind me of the Chris & Mac days. Im afraid a poor decision was made here and WEEK News 25 may have lost one of their best! Ashley is wise beyond her years and unless she was asking for a Jay Cuttler paycheck….I think she is worth it! I think you messed up…. Huge! Im afraid you have lost a very good thing! Kudos to the station who steals her and realizes and appreciates the quality they have received in Asley McNamee.

Have watched Channel 25 for over 50 years and have seen personalities come and go . Mac and Ashley work well together and are fun to watch. Station management doesn’t need a revenue stream lesson from me. It would be a shame if the stations ratings fell because of managements inability to come to a mutually agreeable solution with Ashley. Times change and people move on voluntarily to further their careers, but to knowingly change a winning combination can only hurt Channel 25 ratings. Whatever Ashley decides to do in her career, we wish her well and much success.
Chillicothe Fans of Ashley

All I know is that it was just a matter of time before DeSantis ruined a perfectly matched duo with Mac and Ashley. I bet a station in a bigger market would love to have the talent and chemistry these two bring to the local tv market.Looks like advertiser would do well to boycott this station until they realize talent does make a difference.

Mac and Ashley are a great team which we enjoy watching. Ashley has a great personality and does a very professional job of reporting the news. To replace her would be a great mistake and would certainly change the channel we would watch. Please rethink this decision!!!

Since the past few months things between Ashley and Mac have been changing. Since the passing of his wife, it seems that the two of them appear to be much closer than they should be as co workers. It is apparently rather obvious to most watchers as I have heard this mentioned before by others. She even laid her hand on his arm a few mights ago. Just about when this latest incident happened. Hasn’t anyone else saw this going on? When she said, ” We should go out and dine together ” and finally he allowed it, they were the only ones to set on same side of the booth!!! Odd? I’d say so. Viewers could care what they do, just keep it off the air… You could cut the vibes between them with a knife. I like them both, but just sayin….. This may be the problem going on?

Anonymous… You are sick. You are also a chicken not to use your name. Shame on you. In today’s world it is so nice to see co workers who actually respect each other. I believe Mac is married again. too.

We ennjoy Marshanna, she is doing a great job as anchor, but it would be even better with Ashley as co-anchor. As for Nicole, the new weather person, she will learn and kudos to her for sticking with it. Too bad that money is the determining factor in keeping a good person. There should be a compromise between money and quality, because some of the new hires are completely inadequate. Listen to your customers!

Wise up, WEEK. Ashley and Mac’s onscreen chemistry is indeed something special and rare in today’s world. In my opinion, they are the glue holding the station’s newscast together. Viewers invite these news personalities into their homes, and after awhile, they almost feel like your family. Ashley is a real bright spot in my day. Channel 25 has built a reputation on their “hometown team,” but if Ashley leaves (even though I realize she is not originally from our area), I believe the few other talented personalities will depart soon after. I guess we’ll all switch to Channel 31.

Ashley, you deserve better than you are getting. Go find a new station that will appreciate you for the excellent job that you do, whether it is in peoria or elsewhere. I have enjoyed watching you anchor the news. I agree with everyone else, the latest weather girls are difficult to watch and seem like they don’t have a clue what they are even saying. And the newest anchor that has been working weekends and filling in for Mark and Gretchen has a hard time reading the teleprompter. If money is the factor in this situation, they must be saving a bundle. Good luck Ashley!

I think week management is the problem. Ashley McNamee is the best news anchor Peoria has ever had. My wife and I looked forward to her newscasts every night. Although Hester tries, she will never be able to walk in Ashley’s shoes. WMBD you better snap this tallented girl up to make your ratings soar!!!

Marshanna is a very professional anchor of the news. If Ashley desires a bigger and better market, she deserves it. Nicole Gill will become better with time. Cody, the weekend meteorologist on WMBD, was very nervous and at a loss for the proper words when he first started but now Cody is very good at presenting the weather. I divide my time between both stations for the news.

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